Triple effect vaporization of liquid



June 6, 1950 a. w. WATSON 2,510,672

TRIPLE EFFECT VAPORIZATION OF LIQUID Filed Sept. 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 545w mezsmz June 6, 1950 a. w. WATSON TRIPLE EFFECT VAPORIZATION OF LIQUID 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 INVENTOR. gin N )1. )wfr o/i HTEK/VEX Patented June 6, 1950 v UNITED STAT OFF ICE- TRIPIZE EFFECT VAPORIZATION O'F LIQUID -Gl8h1LW. Watson, TranerseCity, Miche Application September 25, 1 946; Serial No. 6991322 8 0M135; (Cl. H S-40)" This application is a continuation in-part or my' co-pendi'rrg* United States application Serial No. 544,254, filed July I0, 1944, entitled Electrical vaporization of liquids, now abandoned;

In that application thereis disclosed a method and apparatus that have'aidu'al action'invapor izing the liquid. K pair or series of electrodes; spaced slightl'y' apart and alternating in sign, is set vertically inthe-liquid; with-- the lower ends thereof only slightly immersed in the surface of the liquid; Below thesuriace ofthe liquid; the usual rheostat action occurs in heating and var-- porizing the-liquid; Only a small fraction of the current thus consumed; on the order of about 2 percent.

Witliproper spacing Between adjacent elec'-- trodes, successive bridging films rise between the electrodes abovethe liquid level. These films carry the major portion of the-currentand-are eventuallyvaporized thereby; The spacing between electrodes is determined to sustain-the films between themz- Iithe electrodes are-too widely spaced-apart; 110* film will rise between them; The maximum s'pacing that' -permits films tr) rite-is definedim the aforementioned applicafionasthe-brldgirigliihlfi;

The" generalobje'ctot the present inventionis to improvethe emciency or this method of viaporizing liquid; The electrodes rather than bemg in strip formas in: the earlier application, are in the form of concentric tubes one within the other in the drawings but w1ll also=operate* when prepared in strip form. The films are-con sequently of annulac torm; Thus, if any givenfilm is punctured by. vapor pressure from below; it: will nevertheless maintain its condition asa film except where punctured and will continuetorise until; completely vaporized.- A: substantially rectangular and-smaller'film;-such as that formed? between strip electrodeswill more readilydisintegrate when'pun'ctured and: will collapse to form fallin liquid droplets which must againvbezcon-lvented to film form; This conversion results in a loss. of efficiency" present inventionelim matesthecollapse ofifilm tallquid; in ithe mannerz' indicated: and;;. to this extent,v increases.- the eill-= ciency'o'f the process;

Another object or: the: hiventionis to heat a; portion ofitheelectrodss bymeansiof. the current. and: thereby. to causeaapreheatingof the film by: conduction from; the: electrodes, andaiding? in the ultimate vaporization-f the film. For this:

purpose a portion ottha'electrodeskconsists oil 8 hlglt resistanoezmatefial endure-preferably 0011;

2. resistance wire; The direct" heating" of the" fll'nf by' conduction from the electrodes constitutes a: third heating effect of'the current, in addition to the two' previously mentioned with reference to P the earlier application: Consequently the cur-- rent has a triple e'ifect onthe liquid in oneform. or another. In other words, the single'supply of current operates on the" liquid" in threedill'erent ways; all functioningsimultaneously toward the:- ultimate vaporization of the" liquid:

As in the previousapplication', only arelatively' small portionof the" electrodes is immersed in theliquidi Since this portionserves'to'conduct current to thebody of the liquid and to' start an upward movement it is' constitute-d ct ma teria'r having" low resistance or highconductiv-= ity: Assuch; it is provided in'the formofsepa' rate pieces attached to" the lower ends ofthe ex posed electrodes.

The invention is fully'disclosed by-way'of example-in the following descriptionancrin the ac companying drawingsinwhich:

Figure l is a vertical section" ofa genera-tor constructedaccording-to theinvention; I

Figure 2 is a. sectionoh the line- 2 4 of Figure'l,

Figure 3- is a section onthe line' ofFig ure-l,

Figure 4" is" a section on th'e-1ine4 --=c-of Fig. ure -1,

Figure 5- is a vertical sectionor amodification';

Figure 6 is adiagrammatic View showing the? egressofsteam, and" Figure" 7 is an elevation showing" a generator according to the inventionconnected to a radi ator.

Reference to-these vlewswill nowbe-inade by use of like-characters which are-employed 'to *designatecorresponding parts throughout.

Ih- Figure 1 is shown a suitableliousing I in which the vaporizing apparatus is mounted; The: housingis in= the" form of a--receptacle or'tank adapted tocontain" water which is supplied through a suitable valved intake 2. The inven tionwill be described with reference to the '-evap-= oration or water; and it will beunderstoodthat other liquids maybe VaporiZed' by the same moth- 0d and means. At' a lowcr level the housing fitted with a valved filling: nipp1e 3: designedso that it does not permit over-filling and toindicate a-- liquid level correspondingwith the halt way height on spaced tips I 0.

One: of the electrodes is: atubular member: 6: consisting. for" the most: part of. high resistance structed in the form of screens made 011111811 51: material. To:therlowerend;oft this'member-is an insulating block 8 through which arepasseda pair of binding posts 8. From the block 8 is also suspended the complementary electrode 9 which is also tubular and lies within the electrode 6, l in coaxial relation thereto. The electrade 9 is also of high resistance material of the character already set forth in connection with the member 6.

The high resistance portion of I the electrode 9 does not engage the liquid but slightly in operation and is provided at its lower end with a member or members of low resistance material that extend slightly below the surface of the liquid to an extent even less than the member 7. The parts attached to the member 9' may consist, for example, of a series of spaced tips Hi extending downwardly from the lower edge thereof.

t The current flow through solid water between the member 'i and the members II] is determined by the extent of penetration of the latter into the liquid. Consequently it is immaterial that the member 7 extends farther into the liquid. The elevation of the electrode 9 with its tips H] can be regulated by adjusting the nuts II on the threaded binding posts 8'. The electrode constructions may be reversed if desired whereby the outer electrode will carry the tips and the the inner electrode will have a solid extension supported in the base of container.

A supporting strap I2 is laid transversely upon the block 8 and is fitted at its ends with binding posts I3 connected to the upper end of the electrode 6. One side of the circuit is represented by a conductor 44 passing through a steam sealed insulator l5 and the wall of the housing I and attached to one of the binding posts 8. The other side of the circuit is represented by another conductor [6 passing through a similar insulator ll mounted in the wall of the housing I and attached to one of the binding posts IS} The conducting portion 1 is preferably provided with an auxiliary ground It? extending to the wall of the housing I. Although the current divides between the members 6 and 1, it may be desirable to supply a separate current to the portion having higher conductivity. A modification for this purpose is shown in Figure 5. The parts 6', I are separated from one another by an inserted thin washer of glass or other insulation. A

conductor 2i joins the parts 6', I and in turn is grounded at 22. p p

In the operation of the device, a, small portion of the current ,-about2 percent, is consumed at the immersed common parts of both electrodes and ;is conducted by the liquid between these parts. This liquid is heated in the manner of a, fluid rheostat. A progression of film rises in the space between the electrodes in the form of liquid hammocks as shown diagrammatically in Figure 6. The bridging films rise in rapid succession and conduct a substantial portion of the current. 'In so doing they become heated until eventually vaporized. The shape of the hammocks varies according to the pressure conditions in the system.

of the series should theoretically be the first to vaporize. However, a lower hammock or a portion thereof may become vaporized first, and the vapor pressure released thereby may puncture a hammock above it. The punctured hammock, however, is not thereby entirely destroyed inasmuch as it has an annular configuration and remains intact where not punctured. The punctured portion falls as liquid droplets upon lower hammocks and is for the most part supported thereby to be vaporized again, after being converted into additional film. This reconversion process, which requires consumption of energy, is maintained at a minimum inasmuch as the disintegration of a punctured film into liquid droplets is restricted to the area thereof that has actually been punctured.

Another portion of the current is consumed in raising the temperature of the high resistance parts 6 and 9 of the respective electrodes. The heat in these parts is conducted directly to the films or hammocks, thereby preheating them and aiding in their ultimate ,evaporization.

It is now apparent that the current is used in three different ways simultaneously to vaporize the liquid. This method is highly eflicient inasmuch as only a relatively small quantity of the liquid is heated by the usual rheostat method between the immersed parts of the electrodes. In the thin bridging films or hammocks the vaporization is considerably more eflicient since no surrounding masses of liquid need be heated as in the rheostat method. Inother words, convection heat is transferred from the heated screens to the liquid bridging films and combined with the heat caused by the passage of the alternating or other current in the-films. Both sources of heat are in action simultaneously and aid in the production of steam.

This dual heat effect consumes the greatest portion of the current and. produces the greatest portion of the steam that is generated. This dual effect acts simultaneously with the water rheostat effect, so that the result is the combined action of three distinct uses of the current operating on the liquid to vaporize the same. The result of this method is instantaneous generation of the steam, even though the main water supply be of a temperature just above freezing.

It has been found advantageous to use this method with alternating current of various irequencies, although the method may be performed with direct current. The addition of borax to the Water supply aids in preventing oxidation of the electrodes and permits them to operate for a period of years without requiring cleaning.

Steam generation will start as long as any portion of tips in contacts the water body and will continue to operate until the water level recedes below the tips to the extent of about a quarter on an inch.

InFigure 7 is shown an installation in which the generator is connected'to a room radiator 30 by a coupling ornipple slat the water level in the generator, permitting the, flow of steam to.

trates the relative size of the generator and room,

at any given instant. the hammock at the top radiator.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of upright electrodes spaced apart and adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, the spacing of said electrodes being Within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material.

2. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of upright electrodes spaced apart and adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, the spacin of said electrodes bein within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material, and insulating material inserted between the resistant and conductive parts of at least one of said electrodes.

3. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprisin a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of upright electrodes spaced apart and adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, the spacing of said electrodes being within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant screen material, and the lower ends of the elec trodes being of a more conductive material.

4. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of upright electrodes spaced apart and adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, the spacing of said electrodes being Within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant screen material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material, and insulating material inserted between the resistant and conductive parts of at least one of said electrodes.

5. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containin such liquid, a pair of tubular, substantially coaxial and upright electrodes adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, said electrodes being spaced apart Within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material.

6. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of tubular, substantially coaxial and upright electrodes adapted to be immersed slightly in the 1iquid, said electrodes being spaced apart within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant screen material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material.

7. An apparatus for electrically vaporizin a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, a pair of tubular, substantially coaxial and upright electrodes adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, said electrodes being spaced apart Within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant material, and the lower ends of the electrodes bein of a more conductive material, and insulating material inserted between the resistant and conductive parts of at least one of said electrodes.

8. An apparatus for electrically vaporizing a liquid, comprising a vessel for containing such liquid, 2. pair of tubular, substantially coaxial and upright electrodes adapted to be immersed slightly in the liquid, said electrodes being spaced apart within the bridging limit of the liquid, the major portion of said electrodes being of highly resistant screen material, and the lower ends of the electrodes being of a more conductive material, and insulating material inserted between the resistant and conductive parts of at least one of said electrodes.

GLENN W. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,322,860 Wublens et al. Nov. 25, 1919 1,738,733 Schur et al Dec. 10, 1929 2,000,628 White May '7, 1935 

